The Sunday Junkie: Jan. 15 edition

While the show initially generated little buzz, Saturday’s UFC 142 event delivered on many fronts and produced no shortage of talking points.

In this week’s edition of The Sunday Junkie, readers discuss many of them, including Jose Aldo’s triumphant return to Brazil, Anthony Johnson’s contract termination, some notable refereeing gaffes, and the media’s role in covering hot-button issues.

For his winning entry, “Crawdiddy” wins a free one-year subscription to “Fighters Only” magazine, the world’s leading MMA and lifestyle magazine.

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(Pictured: Anthony Johnson)

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DON’T HATE THE PLAYERS/REFS; HATE THE GAME/RULES

At this Saturday’s UFC 142 event, we saw numerous referee decisions that left fans and fighters scratching their heads. First, Mario Yamasaki disqualifies Erick Silva for illegal blows to the head. Then, we saw Dan Miragliotta stand up or separate “Rumble” Johnson and Vitor Belfort on numerous occasions for “stalling.” Finally, Yamasaki allows Jose Aldo to grab the cage without penalty. On different occasions, we have seen illegal blows go unpunished, referees have different interpretations on stalling, and cage/trunk grabbing resulting in nothing more than a warning. Without more strict rules in place, fans will constantly be disappointed in the lack of consistency between referees. Solutions? Give the referees the ability to look at replays to interpret illegal blows. Define stalling as a certain amount of time without advancement. Penalize cage/trunk grabbing immediately. Until the rules are stricter, fans and fighters both will be punished with questionable rules that vary from referee to referee.

“Crawdiddy”
Lake Zurich, Ill.

ALDO AND FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION ARRIVE AT UFC 142

There was a lot of worry on online forums and from the media that UFC 142 would be a weak card with the potential for crushingly low pay-per-view buys. People were worried that featherweight champ Jose Aldo had lost his killer instinct and resorted to stall-and-outpoint tactics that were not exciting enough to headline a PPV event. Not only did the entire card prove to be incredible, but Aldo provided an incredible blink-and-you’ll-miss-it finish to the thunderous joy of his hometown fans. Hopefully his performance brings some much-needed mainstream attention not only to arguably one of the most well-rounded and vicious champions in the sport but also to an incredible and quickly growing weight division in the UFC. It’s time for the “little guys” to shine.

Chandler Groulx
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

ALDO SUPPLANTS GSP IN POUND-FOR-POUND RANKINGS

Many pound-for-pound rankings have Anderson Silva ranked in first place, Jon Jones in second, and Georges St-Pierre third. After Jose Aldo’s knockout over Chad Mendes at UFC 142, Aldo should take GSP’s third-place ranking. GSP is a great fighter who has accomplished incredible feats in MMA, including six consecutive title defenses. Despite his great accolades, though, he has not finished an opponent since 2009. I understand he is fighting No. 1 contenders, but so are all the other champions. Silva, Jones and Aldo are still able to finish top contenders in impressive fashion, which is why they are ranked so highly on everyone’s pound-for-pound rankings. GSP has awesome talent, but he should not hold Aldo’s rightfully earned pound-for-pound spot just because he is GSP.

Torrey “MMASAVANT” Lee
Albion, Mich.

STANDUPS WAY TOO QUICK WITH BELFORT VS. JOHNSON

Whether you like Anthony Johnson or not, you have to agree that referee Dan Miragliotta’s decision to stand up and separate the fighters on three different occasions in the first round was way too fast. It is hard work to get a takedown, and to have that advantage taken away immediately without having the opportunity to work is unfair (not to mention the shots to the back of the head). There is no question that it was unprofessional of Johnson to miss weight for his third time in his UFC career, but he still deserved a fair shake, and he should be credited for moving above his weight class in the first place to take a fight against one of the top contenders. I will agree that fighters should be separated when the better positioned is not working, but after earning the superior position, they deserve a reasonable amount of time to work and advance.

“LooseCannon”
Atlanta, Ga.

“RUMBLE” MISSING WEIGHT SHOULD BE NO CONCERN TO FANS

Before UFC 142 ,Anthony Johnson cut down to 187.5 pounds before his body could not take any more, and UFC doctors ordered him to rehydrate, which lead to him missing weight by 11 pounds. Many fans were up in arms implying that “Rumble” should be fired, and I ask one simple question: Why? Johnson’s contract agreement is with Dana White and Zuffa, not the fans. He showed up and fought as advertised, and the consumers got what they paid for. At fight time, there was only a six-pound difference between the two fighters. I find it ironic that fans had more support for Nate Marquart who didn’t even show up to UFC on Versus 4 than they have showed for “Rumble.”

Mike Lowry
Oakland, Calif.

JOHNSON SHOULD PAVE WAY FOR FIGHT-DAY WEIGH-INS

The main reasons for the weight-class system are fighter safety and fairness of fights. That might have worked in the earlier days of combat sports, but modern medicine and disciplines prevent it from working these days, as some fighters cut dozens of pounds and hydrate back after the weigh-in. The least-kept secret in MMA was revealed at UFC 142, as almost all fighters actually fight at least one weight class above the sanctioned class, which could lead to dehydrated fighters who are also possibly facing much larger opponents. We also caught a glimpse of a possible solution with the Vitor Belfort-Anthony Johnson co-main event since both fighters actually weighted around 205 pounds come fight day. Moving the weight-ins to the day of the fight will cause some fighters to move up in class(es), but we will see less-severe cuts, fewer fighters gassing out after a few minutes of action, and better competition altogether.

Dror “Ugi”
Tel-Aviv, Israel

WHO’S GONNA TAKE THE WEIGHT?

As the late great rapper Guru of the hip-hop group Gang Starr once quipped, “Who’s gonna take the weight?” Upon Anthony Johnson’s release from the UFC, it makes you wonder, was it his fault or someone else’s he didn’t make weight? In this case, the trainer Mike Van Arsdale is a former fighter and also a former wrestler by trade, so he knows all there is to know about making weight. The same also goes for Johnson, who before becoming a fighter was an accomplished wrestler. Therefore, through his wrestling history and 13 fights prior, he knew what his responsibility was and how to meet it. For whatever reason, he didn’t. So when the question comes up as to who’s going to take the weight for Johnson’s release from the UFC, the answer is simple: Look in the mirror big boy because you have no one to blame but yourself.

Sam “ALL JAM” Perez
Bethlehem, Penn.

“RUMBLE’S” STRUGGLES SHOW ISSUES WITH WEIGHT-CUTTING

“Rumble” Johnson’s difficulty making weight illustrates an often overlooked but crucial risk of mixed martial arts. The time-honored practice of cutting weight is dangerous and outdated. While many fighters routinely sap their bodies of several gallons of life-sustaining fluid without apparent difficulty, this habit can and does severely damage many fighters’ kidneys. To a physician who routinely treats patients in acute kidney failure from dehydration and has seen the disabling consequences of these insults to the renal system, this practice is unjustifiable. While some may find it ludicrous to be concerned about kidney damage in a combat sport, cutting weight adds nothing of value. There is a simple solution to this: Fighters should be forced to make weight immediately prior to the fight, and all weight classes should be increased by 20 pounds. It’s time for fighters to compete appropriately hydrated.

Stephen “CataractCowboy” Hinton
Dallas, Texas

JOHNSON DISRESPECTS UFC, OPPONENTS AND MMA

Coming in at a ripped, chiseled and jacked 6-foot-5 and 400-plus pounds, I obviously have no clue what is necessary to cut weight. I’d rather sit on my backside and critique those who risk life and limb to earn a living in a cage for our enjoyment. That being said, I’ve never fancied myself as a professional fighter. How can a fighter who’s been around as long as Anthony “Rumble” Johnson in the co-main event of a UFC pay-per-view come in 11 pounds overweight? Several years ago, I truly thought Johnson was a budding superstar. Now, after missing weight for the third time in his UFC career, I am officially out of the Rumble Fan Club. And with the way he disrespects his bosses, his opponents and the sport of MMA, he should be out of the UFC.

Butch Sumter
Hilton Head, S.C.

AS WITH “RUMBLE,” DANA WHITE IS BECOMING A TYRANT

Dana White, the UFC “president,” is affixing Anthony Johnson with “complete unprofessionalism” for missing weight by 11 pounds and ultimately fired him after UFC 142. Yes, Johnson missed weight by a significant amount, but a doctor’s order to put fluids back into his body was a decision made to save Johnson’s health. A doctor simply doing his job to save a fighter’s health and future is anything but unprofessional. An unprofessional action is telling your fans to “shut up” on multiple occasions, firing your client for following a doctor’s recommendation to stay alive, or firing a fighter for quoting a television show where others maliciously made comments about rape or molestation. White is flexing his muscles a bit too much and is becoming the UFC tyrant, not president.

Cameron Nixon
Charleston, S.C.

IS IT TIME FOR RUMBLE ROULETTE?

Anthony “Rumble” Johnson’s catastrophic weigh-in mishap at UFC 142 has renewed discussion of a 195-pound weight class, previously known as Franklinweight, and now known as Rumbleweight. But for a man who missed 170 pounds on multiple occasions only to miss 185 pounds for his first middleweight fight, something more must be done. I propose a weigh-in system named Rumble Roulette. It’s a simple system that makes certain Johnson will always have an opponent: You procure a fighter in each of the existing weight divisions, have “Rumble” weigh-in, and then have him fight the opponent that matches his weight class. I’m not sure what you do with all the other fighters who have prepared for the fight, but I certainly believe this is a step in the right direction.

Matthew Happen
Seattle, Wash.

MARIO YAMASAKI TARNISHES GREAT NIGHT OF ACTION

Mario Yamasaki is the subject of talk this week, and rightfully so. Yamasaki, short of a ski-mask and a rifle, robbed Erick Silva of his victory versus Carlos Prater at UFC 142. Yamasaki was also the referee for Vitor Belfort vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 133. It was the same type of finish, yet different results. How can you call one finish a victory and another finish a disqualification? Yamasaki didn’t even ask Prater if he could continue or if he needed five minutes to recover from the “illegal shots.” Jorge Rivera took a way more solid illegal strike directly to the face from Michael Bisping, yet he got up, recovered and tried to fight on. Prater was walking and talking just fine merely two minutes after the stoppage. How many games did it take the NBA to investigate Tim Donaghy? I’m not saying referees don’t make mistakes, but every mistake needs an investigation and justified result. Silva trained for months to perform well and feed his family, and a lone referee has ruined that. Another record will be tarnished, and another referee will go unpunished.

Buddy Miller
Schenectady, N.Y.

REFS NEED OPTION OF INSTANT REPLAY

You would think that when an MMA referee has any doubt over the legality of a finish, he could/should check the replay before making a cement decision. Why the huge rush? Erick Silva trained three months for that victory at UFC 142, and Mario Yamasaki took three seconds to unfairly take it away. I’m not envious of the referees’ job, and I respect Yamasaki, but he could/should be able to reverse the decision once he saw the replay. At the end of the day, with all the technology available today, we shouldn’t ever have a fighter stripped of the victory he rightfully deserves. I care more about the fighters’ rights than I do about the referees’ credibility.

Samuel J. Cotton
Brisbane, Australia

MARIO YAMASAKI’S INCONSISTENCY IS CONCERNING

For this fan it was not only the call that Mario Yamasaki made in Erick Silva’s UFC 142 fight that had me questioning his judgement, but also the call (or lack thereof) that was not made during the Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes fight. Mendes had a body lock and what appeared to be an easy takedown until Aldo grabbed the fence, which prevented the takedown and possibly changed the outcome of the fight. In that case, the only thing that Yamasaki could have done would be to deduct a point from Aldo. But he failed to not only take a point but failed to even acknowledge that blatant foul. One could argue that he didn’t see it, but I don’t see how he could have. Steve Mazzagatti may have to make room in Dana White’s referee doghouse.

Erik “raoulduke4247″ Nelson
Troutdale, Ore.

TIME TO CURB COMPLAINTS ABOUT FIGHT FIXING

Recently, some UFC fans have raised allegations of fight fixing. After UFC 142, fans took to the Internet, some claiming that the Vitor Belfort/Anthony Johnson co-main event had some odd standups from referee Dan Miragliotta. Some went so far as to suggest that Zuffa may have given Miragliotta a “bonus” for his “efforts.” This all comes in the wake of the grossly outmatched Brock Lesnar losing brutally to giant Dutch striker Alistair Overeem at UFC 141, a fight in which some also pointed a “fixed” finger at. Why would Zuffa chance it at two straight shows? There is no evidence of Zuffa tampering or any wrongdoing on Miragliotta’s part other than maybe being hasty (and possibly giving in to the Brazilian fans). Lesnar and Johnson both lost because they, for different reasons, came in less than great shape. This does not equate to fight fixing.

“SilvasavliS”
Vernonia, Ore.

ERICK SILVA WAS ALL CLASS AT UFC 142

Erick Silva had a tough break at UFC 142. His disqualification loss could have easily been a TKO win. After the fight, he explained that he didn’t agree with the referee’s call and thought all his punches were legal. That sounds pretty mundane until you consider the what-ifs. What if it were Chael Sonnen who got the call? He would have verbally abused everyone around, at a minimum. What about Phil Baroni? He would have probably attacked the official physically. There are plenty of fighters in the past and present who would have lost their temper at that call (Paul Daley, Ken Shamrock, Tank Abbott, the Diaz brothers, etc.). The point is, Silva showed how a professional should react to a bad call. I can say firsthand that he earned at least one more fan at UFC 142.

Dusty Wallace
Elliston, Va.

BRAZILIAN FANS SHINE AT UFC 142

Brazil impressed on many fronts with UFC 142. Unlike many other UFC shows, the crowd made its presence known from the very first fight on the preliminary card while showing a passion that is to be expected from the country considered widely as the birthplace of MMA. Add to that mix the exciting fights displayed on every single bout, and you have one of the greatest events in UFC history. There were emotional wins, controversial wins, historic knockouts and impressive submissions, and those were just the backdrop tales. Vitor Belfort made the drama of Anthony Johnson’s weight cut a moot point by submitting him in the first round, and Jose Aldo showed once again why he is one of the most feared men in MMA by making quick work of Chad Mendes. But the biggest performer of the night was the crowd. Even our beloved commentators had never felt anything like it. Be afraid Mr. Sonnen. Be very afraid.

Ruben “Ludumorte” Carvalho
Fredericksburg, Va.

WATCHDOG MEDIA NECESSARY IN MMA

Every industry needs a watchdog, and it’s for this very reason that I commend ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” effort in covering fighters’ salaries in the UFC. The UFC has accomplished a great deal in growing the sport of MMA, but that doesn’t mean they deserve the public’s trust in every endeavor. There should always be accountability. Lately, there seems to be too many MMA journalists who are trying too hard to curry favor and refuse to pursue the difficult stories for fear of retaliation. Much like the predicament most fighters face, if a journalist is denied a UFC press pass, his or her options to cover MMA anywhere else are pretty slim too. Only time will tell if ESPN handled the presentation of this particular story accurately. Regardless, it can only be a good thing that some media aren’t afraid to confront the UFC on sensitive issues.

Damian S.
Los Angeles, Calif.

ESPN’S “OUTSIDE THE LINES” WAS CLOSE TO A HIT JOB

This morning “Outside the Lines” on ESPN did a piece on the UFC and fighter pay. We knew about it all week, and Dana White complained loudly about it on MMAjunkie.com. He sometimes overreacts to things, but I think he was in the right to complain about this piece. Ken Shamrock, Ricco Rodroguez and Rob Maysey aren’t objective or even credible sources, and not being able to find any current or recent UFC fighters who were willing to go on record obviously raises red flags. ESPN brought up some valid points, and I think reporter Josh Gross addressed many of them. But for the most part, it felt under-reported and biased, and even the way they edited it to try to make Lorenzo Fertitta look uncomfortable during questioning was insincere. If you want to take the UFC to task over legitimate things, that’s fine. Just don’t paint an incomplete picture to do it.

Oscar Chang
Buffalo, N.Y.

IS DANA WHITE A LIABILITY TO THE UFC?

I enjoy Dana White’s tell-it-like-it-is personality, as do many UFC fans. However, is White a liability to the future growth of the UFC? White is arguably the face of the UFC. He recently slammed ESPN and Ken Shamrock with a handful of expletives. When was the last time White did a press conference without cursing or speaking, at times, like a classic gangster? White sells his athletes as professionals, but he lacks professionalism in many statements. Is this the best image of a leader for a sport trying to reach the mainstream? Granted, the company has grown to what it is without White changing, but slamming ESPN/Disney can cut valuable exposure. This is also business. There are other ways to get a point across without compromising who you and your organization are. A simple adjustment can provide huge gains. The UFC deserves it.

Adam “LightsOut888″
Downey, Calif.

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